The present disclosure is directed to systems and processes for the in-application (“in-app”) sale of physical products on mobile devices.
Known are platforms for the in-app purchase of digital goods on mobile devices. Many software applications (“apps”), such as games for example, allow users to purchase digital content items within the game app. Such digital content items are typically purchased from digital content stores and are then utilized within the application.
In spite of myriad platforms for the in-app purchase of digital goods, it is estimated that over 2.5 million apps for mobile devices exist that lack the ability sell physical products. A majority of these types of mobile apps provide content only and lack the functionality to sell physical products. Sale and purchase of a physical product by way of a content-only host mobile app typically involves switching the end user to a product purchase site that is outside of the host app. Such a practice is highly disfavored by app developers, the goal for whom is to maximize app visitor count, maximize app visit time, and maximize in-app conversion rates.
Conventional mobile apps purporting in-app physical product purchase capability are cumbersome and offer only a limited selection of physical products. Such mobile apps require the app provider to purchase an add-on software kit containing the desired sale functionality, the software kit requiring complex installation by the app provider and increasing the cost of app deployment. Software add-ons raise the risk of incompatibility and software bug problems to the app provider—surmounting to yet further drawbacks.
A need exists for a convenient, simple, and cost-effective way (i) to convert apps lacking the functionality to sell physical products (ii) into apps with the capability for the in-app sale of physical products. A need further exists (i) to convert mobile apps lacking the functionality to sell physical products (ii) into mobile apps with the capability for the in-app sale of physical products on a mobile device.